Developer Diary #1 - MCS Sound System

[Arkady]

ORIGINAL: Crossroads

Updated my post above to reflect the likely movement and weapons categories for the imminent 1.05 / 2.0 release. Any concerns or observations now its pretty much the last moment to tell me about them [:)]

got it here...I'll update utility with new values...

[Crossroads]

Roger. Just PM me when done again [:)]

[Crossroads]

From the Support subforum:

ORIGINAL: DonCzirr

Pretty much everything about the recent game updates is great ... except the new firing sound for the Tigers.

Remembering back to the old Talonsoft version, the 88s had this high velocity sounding effect that set them apart from the Mark IVs and Panthers.


Is it possible somehow to enable just that one sound effect and keep everything else?

Or is it more of an "All or nothing" situation?

and, after I suggested to replace the five 12weapon[0-4].ogg files of 2.0x with those from 1.04:

ORIGINAL: DonCzirr

Appreciate the continued guidance Crossroads ....

When just replacing the 0 - 4 OGG files, it seemed that I got the old piercing, high velocity sound only every 1 out of 4 or 5 times ....

I then got heavy-handed and clobbered the whole directory with all OGG files from my default EF2 install repository.

From then on, it took on a nice rotation, alternating with the low velocity sound.

So, as it stands ... back up to date .... high velocity 88s back in action and able to run the game in a Window with all the new bells and whistles ...

What happens here is that also from the original 12weapon* sound files, only two of them are particulary sounding like what you want (I think), namely: 12weapon0.ogg and 12weapon2.ogg

And what the game does, it randomly plays one of the five files when a category 12 weapon is fired, choosing between 12weapon0 to 12weapon4.

I think this calls for...

[Crossroads]

Let us do: 88mm Weapon Sound Mod

[;)]

As a first step, not to make a mess of the file system under MCS 2.02 either, we'll create a JSGME mod of this.

1) Create a new subfolder under the \Mods folder:

C:\Matrix Games\John Tiller's Campaign Series\Mods\My 88mm Weapon Sound Mod

2) Create the files system you want the mod to install its content:

...\Mods\My 88mm Weapon Sound Mod\West Front

3) Copy the two MCS 1.04 files there:

...\Mods\My 88mm Weapon Sound Mod\West Front\

12weapon0.ogg
12weapon2.ogg

4) Rename 12weapon2.ogg => 12weapon1.ogg to have:

...\Mods\My 88mm Weapon Sound Mod\West Front\

12weapon0.ogg
12weapon1.ogg

5) Copy the SOUNDS.DAT from your MCS 2.02 West Front folder(!) there as well

It is important to use the latest SOUNDS.DAT as we want to leave all other new sounds as they are.

6) Alter the data referring to weapon category 12 - Heavy Tanks and ATGs to specify only two sound files are there:

=> Weapon category 12 is the thirteenth number there, as the first category is Weapon category 0.
=> After the modification here, game will randomly alternate only between 12weapon0.ogg and 12weapon1.ogg

SOUNDS.DAT from MCS 2.02 version of \West Front

...\Mods\My 88mm Weapon Sound Mod\West Front\

5 4 5 5 5 3 1 3 2 2 5 4 2 1 3 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 5 1 2 1 0 0 0 0
5 4 2 2 1 2 1 5 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 1 1
3 5 8 6
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
7 6 6 6
6 3 4 4
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
7 5 4 5

And you're done! Next, fire up JSGME from the C:\Matrix Games\John Tiller's Campaign Series folder by double clicking at it, and you'll notice the new Mod there. The Mod name is the first level subfolder name from under the \Mods folder, so in our case My Weapon 88mm Sound Mod.

Move it to the right side, and there she is! [:)]


Finally, to quickly check you got this right: fire up Arkady's Unit Viewer, choose West Front -> Germany, locate a 88mm weapon platform such as Tiger VIE, and test the weapon sound.

It should now be the 12weapon0.ogg from MCS 1.04 we enabled with our mod. [:)]

[Crossroads]

If you want the same Sound Mod to take place also in your East Front game, just copy-paste, under your mod, the West Front folder we created with its content and rename the West Front - Copy into East Front.

Then, when JSGME enables the mod, it will follow the subfolder structure created and will place the files to these two folders.

[Crossroads]

Here's a little update as how the weapon and movement sounds are panning out at the moment. Moving on from WW II era, the sound category descriptions have been rewritten to match the more modern weapon systems as well. Also, new sounds, especially helicopter movement being given the attention it rightly deserves.

Regarding helicopters, they are the coolest thing imho. [:)]

Where the on-map aircraft of the MCS fold got a bit of a mixed reception at the time, the fast moving but oh so vulnerable helos are a really nice addition. And they sound so cool as well!

So here they are, the unified sound system that should serve all the games as a framework. Individual sound files may vary though, for instance the selected-fire and automatic fire category might have different sounds in WW II than in Vietnam.

Movement Categories (parameter -13)

0movement* - Foot infantry
1movement* - Fully tracked vehicles
2movement* - Horse-drawn vehicles
3movement* - Medium and heavy trucks
4movement* - Cars, armored cars and light trucks
5movement* - Horses (mounted units)
6movement* - Motorcycles
7movement* - Half-tracks
8movement* - Motorboats
9movement* - Paddled boats
10movement* - Ski units
11movement* - Bicycles
12movement* - Propeller-driven aircraft
13movement* - Ships, ferries, landing barges
14movement* - Jet aircraft
15movement* - Trains and rail units
16movement* - Canine (Scout dogs, mine dogs)
17movement* - Helicopter, single rotor two blades
18movement* - Helicopter, single rotor three or more blades
19movement* - Helicopter, single rotor piston engine
20movement* - Helicopter, tandem rotor
21movement* - Aerosans


Weapon Categories (parameter -14)
Note: a corresponding *explosion*.ogg must be available as well

Infantry
-------------------------------------------------
27weapon* - Bolt action rifles
0weapon* - Selected-fire and automatic fire rifles
1weapon* - Submachine guns
2weapon* - High rate of fire medium machine guns
3weapon* - Light and medium machine guns
4weapon* - Heavy machine guns
13weapon* - Anti-tank rifles
28weapon* - Flame throwing equipment
33weapon* - Snipers

Mortars
-------------------------------------------------
5weapon* - Light and medium mortars (-90mm)
6weapon* - Heavy mortars (90mm+)

Rockets and missiles
-------------------------------------------------
16weapon* - Rocket artillery incl. multiple rocket launchers
25weapon* - Man-portable recoilless rocket launchers
30weapon* - Man-portable recoilless guns and rifles
31weapon* - Missiles, incl. anti-tank and surface-to-air missiles

Artillery
-------------------------------------------------
7weapon* - Light artillery (-75mm)
8weapon* - Medium artillery (75mm to 120mm)
9weapon* - Heavy artillery (120mm+)

Note: Includes self-propelled artillery

Tank main guns and anti-tank guns
-------------------------------------------------
29weapon* - Light anti-tank guns, tank main guns (-40mm)
10weapon* - Medium anti-tank guns, tank main guns (40mm to 75mm)
11weapon* - Medium anti-tank guns, tank main guns (76mm to 105mm)
12weapon* - Heavy anti-tank guns, tank main guns (105mm+)
17weapon* - Special purpose or very heavy anti-tank guns, tank main guns (AVRE, Sturmmörser, etc)

Anti-aircraft weapons
-------------------------------------------------
14weapon* - Light anti-aircraft guns (-40mm)
15weapon* - Medium anti-aircraft guns (40mm+)
18weapon* - Twin/triple/quad anti-aircraft guns
32weapon* - Minigun machine guns and rotary cannons

Note: Heavy anti-aircraft guns used in anti-tank role should use a respective anti-tank gun category.


Airstrike Weapon Categories
Note: an Airstrike Weapon sound effect consist of first an engine sound then a weapons-firing sound in same sound file. A matching *explosion* sound required as well for the resulting explosions.

19weapon* - Fighter aircraft (propeller driven)
20weapon* - Ground attack aircraft (propeller driven)
21weapon* - Dive bombers (propeller driven)
22weapon* - Anti-tank aircraft (propeller driven)
23weapon* - Biplanes, arty spotters (propeller driven)
24weapon* - Medium and heavy bombers (propeller driven)
26weapon* - Jet aircraft

Note: On-map aircraft should use Movement + Weapon sound combinations.

Thoughts, comments welcome as always [:)]

[Hexagon]

Nice job but a little suggestion, is possible add a sound for wheeled APCs??? i think in BRTs (specially 60) because as HT no and as hevy truck...

[Crossroads]

ORIGINAL: Hexagon

Nice job but a little suggestion, is possible add a sound for wheeled APCs??? i think in BRTs (specially 60) because as HT no and as hevy truck...

Ah, missed your comment earlier. Do you reckon wheeled APCs differ from other wheeled vehicles. A good point regardless. I am just thinking would this be rather something where I'd include this in an existing sound category definition.

[Crossroads]

Movement Categories (parameter -13)

0movement* - Foot infantry
1movement* - Fully tracked vehicles
2movement* - Horse-drawn vehicles
3movement* - Medium and heavy trucks
4movement* - Cars, armored cars and light trucks
5movement* - Horses (mounted units)
6movement* - Motorcycles
7movement* - Half-tracks
8movement* - Motorboats
9movement* - Paddled boats
10movement* - Ski units
11movement* - Bicycles
12movement* - Propeller-driven aircraft
13movement* - Ships, ferries, landing barges
14movement* - Jet aircraft
15movement* - Trains and rail units
16movement* - Canine (Scout dogs, mine dogs)
17movement* - Helicopter, single rotor two blades
18movement* - Helicopter, single rotor three or more blades
19movement* - Helicopter, single rotor piston engine
20movement* - Helicopter, tandem rotor
21movement* - Aerosans

So category 4 now reads Cars, armored cars and light trucks. Was: Cars and light trucks.

[DM729]

I always wondered why there were so many sound files that never got played. Now I know why! I decided to go back and look at the SOUND DAT for JTCS 1.04. I see the inconsistencies are pretty extensive. A legacy from Talonsoft days I figure. I'm fixing them now. Perhaps you can explain the rest of the SOUND DAT line entries. I would love to be able to tweak the background and assault sounds as well but am unsure what the rest of the SOUND DAT numbers point to.

Thanks!

Don

[Crossroads]

Hello Don!

[*] First line: Fire sounds per category
[*] Second line: Movement sounds per category
[*] Third line: n:o of Assault - Load/Unload - Mine Attack, respectively
[*] Fourth line: n:o of Background music per category; see Modding Background Music
[*] Fifth line onward: Nation specific Campaign sounds (speeches) for n:o of Defeat - Draw - Minor Victory - Victory, respectively

So Fifth line is Russia (Nation ID "0"): Defeat0_0.ogg, Defeat0_1.ogg, Defeat0_2.ogg, ... Draw0_0.ogg, Draw0_1.ogg, Draw0_2.ogg, ...MVictory0_0.ogg, MVictory0_1.ogg, MVictory0_2.ogg, ... Victory0_0.ogg, Victory0_1.ogg, Victory0_2.ogg

Sixth line is Germany (Nation ID "1"): Defeat1_0.ogg, Defeat1_1.ogg, ...

Seventh line would be Italy (Nation ID "2"): Defeat2_0.ogg, ... These are not included however.

... And so forth. All the remaining lines are for these Loss / Victory speeches. Included in the game are files for French (8), UK (9), US (10) and Japan (21), under various game folders. Nothing stops you copying them over to other nations, or recording your own.

Hope this helps! Good luck with modding, any questions just ask [:)]

---

[DM729]

Thanks for the info! I'm having fun customizing the immortal Campaign Series. Another question- is there any limit to how many sound files can be triggered by the DAT entries. I noticed there are eight Assault ogg files in East Front 1.04 but the sound dat has a value of four in all the versions I've looked in. When I increased it to eight in order to cover all of them, the game only would play the very first one (Assault0) repeatedly. I returned the value to four and the game plays the sounds randomly again. I changed the music file values however like you did and was successful. (Where Eagles Dare theme is great by the way). I wonder if the original code was set to allow only four assault sounds.

Thanks Again!

[Crossroads]

I am not aware of any limits to Assault sounds, as the other categories don't have any.

I have a recollection some of the sound files are duplicates, same sounds under different file names. Did you listen to Assault sounds, are they different? Maybe test it like having different movement sounds copied over as Assault oggs, see if they play out.

[DM729]

You are right about the assault sounds. Duplicate files have been sorted out and now work as desired. Load/unload can be altered too (load0, load1 etc). The only issue remaining is minefield sounds. I renamed mine.ogg to mine0, created another (mine1) from an artillery explosion but no luck.

[berto]

Sorry, but the game is hard coded to play only one Mine sound, in Mine.ogg (else Mine.wav).

[DM729]

Thanks Berto. I modded the music and various other sound combos including assault and load/unload sounds and all work fine in EF 1.04. However when I added load1.ogg to WF 1.04 and changed the DAT file to match, loading sounds played briefly but became erratic and now stopped altogether. Rebooting the game or computer makes no difference. Have I corrupted something? I have backups so I'm not too concerned. Trial and error- with more error I'm afraid!

[Crossroads]

I suggest you package everything as a JSGME mod first. That way, you can safely jug the files into the game and then have them off again.